[LINK] IPA, astroturfing and fantsy themes

[Fernando Cassia]

On Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 06:03, Frank O'Connor
<francisoconnor3 at bigpond.com> wrote:
> For me it's 'think tanks' generally - no matter what their political/ideological persuasion.
>
> Simply put ... a contradiction in terms.

I agree, but most think tanks are of the conservative kind, at least
in the US of A and I suspect elsewhere, as very few corporations are
likely to fund parties that would restrict or regulate them :).

US academic (linguist) George Lakoff has been insisting on the need
for the progressive side to fund its own think tanks to counter the
prevalence of conservative ones, and how conservatives have built an
infrastructure of think tanks to promote their agenda over the years.
http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml

The book "Toxic sludge is good for you!" is also good read on the
power of Public Relations firms, which often work side by side with
think tanks.
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Toxic+Sludge+is+Good+For+You+PR+Social+Science

just my $0.02

FC
-- 
During times of Universal Deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act
- George Orwell